The cold morning air bit at my skin as I stepped outside the cabin. The faint light of dawn barely illuminated the forest, casting long shadows over the trees that loomed around us. It was eerily quiet—no rustling leaves, no birdsong. Just an overwhelming silence that set my nerves on edge.
Zach was already outside, leaning against the cabin’s weathered wooden door, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes scanned the horizon like a predator waiting for a sign of danger. For a second, I thought he hadn’t noticed me, but the moment I stepped closer, his head turned slightly in my direction.
“Ready?” His voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension that made my chest tighten.
“As I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
We didn’t say much as we began
